


It is never too late

by alma76



Category: Fortitude (TV)
Genre: Dan has a lot of amends to do, This is a sort of fix it fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22722169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alma76/pseuds/alma76
Summary: Dan Anderssen is not dead yet and some people - dead and alive - are trying to save him. If he survives, he will have a lot of amends to do. And particularly to one person.
Relationships: Dan Anderssen/Elena Ledesma - Relationship, Dan Anderssen/Petra Bergen, Dan Anderssen/Vincent Rattrey





	1. Not dead yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Since I hated the ending of Fortitude (what ending?!), I decided to write this little (maybe not so!) fanfiction to fix it. I blame Simon Donald... Ok, no, I can't blame him. He made me write again.  
> Oh yes! And english is not my first language and I am unbeta-d. So every mistakes are mine but please don't be too harsh. Obviously, if you spy a huge one, please let me know.

_Dan watched Henry go away. With despair in his voice, he called him back, but Henry faded away without a glance back. The sheriff shouted his lungs out. He couldn’t wait in limbo forever, his guts literally spilling out of him._

_Suddenly, he heard a soft voice just above him :_

_\- Don’t worry. He’ll come around. Eventually. He’s just so angry with you right now._

_\- Elena?!…_

_He raised his head to see the young woman standing next to him._

_\- What a mess you put yourself into, Dan._

_\- Elena, can you help me, please?! I-I-I think I’m dying, and-and Henry… He told me I can’t cross to the land of the dead without someone who loves me._

_Elena crouched in front of him and put one hand on his horribly sliced thorax, then she raised the same hand to his cheek, smearing blood slowly on his cheek with her caress. Dan didn’ care : the caress was tender, almost loving, if he could believe she loved him after what he did to her._

_\- I am so sorry, Elena. For what I did to you… I…_

_\- It doesn’t matter, Dan. None of it matters. » She stayed silence for a long moment. Dan closed his eyes against the brightness of the sun and the sweetness of her touch. He felt moisture on his face and realised he was crying._

_\- I could make you cross”, Elena started again and Dan felt hope for the first in a very long time, “but I can’t stay with you, Dan. You understand, do you ? I love you enough to be the one to make you cross, but... » She glanced over her shoulder, and when Dan followed her gaze, he saw a shadow in the bright empty landscape, before he returned his eyes to Elena : « but, you will be punished for what you did, and I can’t do anything about that. »_

_\- Punished ?… I didn’t do it on purpose, I am so sorry. I couldn’t help myself. There were voices and…_

_\- No, Dan. You don’t understand. You could be forgiven for what you did, except your first crime._

_\- Bill Pettigrew, Dan whispered with horror. « But… he raped you, he was a monster… he… he_

_\- No, he wasn’t and you know it…_

_\- I did it for you. » Even in his ears, his justification grated._

_\- Wrong again. You know you didn’t do it for me… Elena’s voice was so quiet and tender, the words sounded worse than if she were telling them with anger._

_Dan couldn’t think, he was so overwhelmed with fear, pain and, yes, guilt._

_\- I...I… was so angry with him. He told me…_

_\- I know, Dan. I know. But the elders, they think the punishment didn’t fit the crime. You should have brought him in, not kill him. » Elena stopped talking, as if she were listening to something, then she carried on : « even if you had roughed him up a bit, it would have been acceptable. But this, Dan ? This was too far, and you upset the rules of nature, which is the worst crime for them, actually._

_Dan felt the despair and sadness filling him. He WAS going to stay in limbo forever._

_\- But what can I do ? I can’t change the past. I would if I could. I… I would arrive earlier at Ronny’s, I would…_

_\- Shhh, it’s ok, Dan. It’s alright. I don’t hold it against you, nor you killing me._

_Dan’s eyes widened at this declaration : « Y… You don’t ? But… I killed you, I…_

_Elena took his face in her hands._

_\- Listen to me carefully, Dan Anderssen. You have to go back, and you have to fight this demon, sickness, whatever you prefer to call it, and then you will have to atone for your crimes and to redeem yourself to the people of Fortitude, and most importantly to Petra._

_\- Petra ?_

_\- Yes, Dan. Petra. You might have gone through hell but she held your hand all along. She loves you very much._

_\- How...How I am supposed to survive this? I am spilling my guts out._

_\- Dr Adebimpe will patch you up._

_\- But what about the larvae ? The parasite ? I am still sick. And dangerous._

_\- Petra will find a solution, along with Vincent._

_Dan was startled to hear the name._

_\- Vincent ? Isn’t he dead ?… I… saw him earlier, he...he told me he was in cardiac arrest._

_\- He was. He isn’t anymore. They’re driving him to the hospital. For now, he’s in a coma._

_Dan was more confused than ever._

_\- So how can he help me ?_

_Elena took him by the shoulders and shook him. The pain was excruciating but Dan didn’t care : he deserved all the pain he was receiving. He tried to concentrate on the strangest conversation he ever had in his life. Or was it death already ?_

_Elena resumed speaking :_

_\- Petra will take care of this. She has to. You have to talk to Petra, Dan, if you’re going to survive this. You hear me ?… Now, you have to wake up._

_And she punched him in the chest. (890 mots)_

_******************_

Dan woke up with a start and a shout of pain. It really was excruciating. The medic, still with the pads of the crash cart in her hands, jumped so suddenly backwards she almost lost her footage.

The sheriff saw all the blood on and surrounding him and he felt sicker than he already was. He couldn’t let his mind slipping, but he was confused and bloody and worse, he could see his insides, which was definitely wrong, so he tried to concentrate on the only thought important at the moment.

He grabbed the hand of a more confused and bewildered Erik and, trying to pull himself off of the stretcher, he asked him hoarsely, with urgency ;

\- Where is Petra, Erik? I need to talk to her. It’s important.

Erik clutched his friend’s hand and seemed to get a grip on himself.

\- You were dead a minute ago, Dan. Your heart stopped. All you need right now is to go to hospital.

The medic chose this moment to pull herself together and try to push him back down on the stretcher. She put what funnily enough looked like pillows of cotton on his chest, trying to staunch his blood. Dan felt his temper rising : he didn’t have time for this; the larvae could already be developing into his body. He gripped Erik’s hand harder, and despite bleeding all over the ambulance, he pulled his deputy towards him so they were almost face to face.

\- I know you have the best intentions right now, but I won’t die because of them, Erik. I need to speak to Petra this instant and if I have to wrestle you, I will” he said haltingly.

Erik was so shocked by the angry words, he forgot a moment the state Dan was in. He picked up his walkie-talkie :

\- Petra, come in… Petra, it’s Erik. I...huh… I have Dan here, who wants to speak to you.

The answer was immediate and the frantic voice of Petra sounded through the speaker :

\- Dan? He is still alive?

Erik put his walkie talkie towards Dan so he could speak. Above the pain, nausea and fear, Dan felt the relief of hearing a friendly/ his lover’s voice.

\- Don’t sound so surprised, Petra.

On the other side, Petra made a strangled noise that very closely resembled a mix of a snort and sob.

\- Dan…

\- Listen to me, Petra. I need you to go to the hospital and check on Vincent. I need to know if he still alive. Can you do that for me?

\- Yes. Yes, of course… Why do you need me to do that?

\- Petra. You and Vincent, you are the only ones who can help me. You both know what is happening. Do you understand?

There was a silence on the other side, and then :

\- I… think I do. I better go now, then…

\- Good girl.” Dan practically wept with relief. There was hope, after all.

\- Dan?…

\- yes, Petra.

\- In the meantime, please, don’t die.

The sentiment behind those few words was so powerful that Dan forgot his pain for a few seconds.

\- I won’t, Petra. I promise.

\- Ok. Good. Petra, out.

The line went silent and Erik put the walkie-talkie back in his parka. Dan fell back on the stretcher, his mind saturated with pain and hope and so many conflicting feelings he couldn’t think clearly. In the end, it didn’t matter because he couldn’t keep his promise. His heart stopped again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember it is a multichapter before trying to crucify me. ? I promise the second is right behind. Very close in any case.


	2. Only Dan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan is still fighting for his life as Petra tries to find an ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for my little stunt of the previous chapter but I need Dan's heart to stop and start again. If you bear with me, you will see why.

_The light was still as_ _bright as before, and the landscape as empty, but at least, he wasn’t handcuffed to the antenna anymore. And the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be dead._

_-_ _It IS very bad, actually._

_The voice made him jump and spin sharply towards it._

_\- Vladek?!_

_The young Russian approached from nowhere._

_\- Hello, Dan. Nice to see you here… Well, not really! But I have to make do with what I have, haven’t I?!_

_Dan felt a surge of guilt._

_\- Vladek, I… don’t know what to say._

_\- Well, “I’m sorry” would be a good start._

_\- I am sorry, really. Sorrier than I can express._

_Vladek shrugged in a dismissal gesture._

_\- What’s done is done, Dan. You were possessed by a demon. Maybe still are, actually. But you are the only one who can fight it too, so… Recriminations are for the living. I am trying to save a world._

_Dan was confused by the quiet words. He killed Vladek in a fit of rage, in the ugliest way possible and the younger man dismissed it as a bare annoyance._

_\- I… I don’t understand. You should hate me. You should…_

_Vladek waved his hand in a silencing motion._

_\- Hate is for the living too. Actually all emotions are. I am dead. It doesn’t matter anymore. But YOU are still alive, if barely. So you will have to shut up and listen, Dan. You don’t have much time, and even less if Petra can’t wake Vincent up._

_***********************_

Petra was still at the bungalow when she had received the call from Erik. Dan was still alive! She couldn’t stop repeating herself, like a mantra: “he is still alive, he is still alive...”. She could save him. Strike that. She was going to save him, even if it meant destroying the all town.

She went back to Fortitude with Ingrid, driving like a mad woman, despite Ingrid’s warnings. They had to go to the hospital anyway, since Natalie needed medical attention too. And since she also needed constant supervision from a police officer, unless she went on attacking someone else, Petra and Ingrid were escorting her, at a deadly speed, according to her very tense colleague.

Despite the urgency of Dan’s situation and her own impatience, once at the hospital, she helped Ingrid secure Natalie in one of the rooms, before going in search of Vincent and someone who could update her on his condition.

She was itching to search for Dan and someone who could give her an update on HIS condition, but she couldn’t let herself distracted by her emotions if she was Dan’s only hope at survival. What Dan didn’t need to say during their brief conversation was she knew he had salvaged Dr Khatri’s research on Elena and hid it at Henry’s, but the only one who could understand it and - maybe - find a solution to Dan’s situation was Vincent. Petra was painfully aware of that, even with her background, she didn’t have any experience with the disease and it could take her months to make head or tail of all the information the doctor accumulated.

She finally found out where Vincent was kept and Dr Adebimpe briefly updated her before rushing to Dan’s side.

She stood above the young biologist's bed. He was so still, as if he were already dead, except for the regular breathing in and out. At least, he didn’t need respiratory assistance. But he was in a coma and she needed him awake. She thought about it, looked around her. The hospital was in an uproar with three of its patients in critical condition. Nobody paid attention to her. So, she made her decision and went out from the bedroom to the supply room to pick up what she needed, then she went back to Vincent’s room and quietly closed the door. And then locked it. What she was going to do will probably be very painful for Vincent, definitely illegal and might cost her her badge and freedom. She didn’t hesitate though.

She took the paddles from the crashing cart, then push the power at its maximum. Before she turned on the paddles, she whispered to Vincent : “I am so sorry, Vincent. I do it for Dan. Only Dan.” And she shocked him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the science is a little bit sketchy, but it is fiction after all. Please go with it. I hope you enjoy anyway.


	3. Time to wake up

_While Vladek was talking to Dan, the young scientist walked from nowhere towards them, a perplexed look on his face. Vladek threw his hands in the air, in an annoyed gesture._

_\- Oh come on! Now you’re here too! You’re not supposed to be here! Either of you!_

_Vincent looked around him, before turning to the shaman, asking :_

_\- What...no, WHERE is here?_

_Dan answered :_

_\- It’s nowhere, Vincent. It’s death. We are dead._

_The shocked look on his face would have been funny, if it wasn’t immediately replaced by a look of rage so raw Dan took a step backward._

_\- You! You son of bitch! You tortured me!” Vincent lunged at him, but Vladek intercepted him before he could reach the sheriff :_

_\- You killed me, you bastard. What did I ever do to you to deserve this?!” The young man was shouting at Dan. But before the older man could form an answer, Vladek intervened :_

_\- Shut up. Both of you. It is not death, not yet. First, nobody’s here to make you cross and second, we need you out there._

_Vincent tried to speak, but Vladek pointed a threatening finger at him, taking a thunderous voice :_

_\- You let me finish! Dan, since you killed me, you were supposed to replace me in protecting Fortitude, but something went wrong…_

_\- Natalie attacking me, you mean?!…_

_It was news to Vincent : “Natalie attacked you? But...”_

_\- Yes, Vincent. She attacked me and she threw up her load of larvae in my abdomen and now I am going to slowly die, being ingested from the inside out by insects!..._

_Vladek continued, ignoring the interruption :_

_\- Yes, Natalie. But you are still alive. For now. And you still have the demon… okay, the parasite” amended the shaman, seeing the sceptical look Dan gave him. “… inside you. Whatever this is, you can fight it and Vincent is going to help you.._

_\- Help this son of bitch? Over my dead body!_

_Vladek turned to Vincent at this moment :_

_\- Vincent. Listen to me carefully. This is not about Dan or you or Natalie. This is about the survival of a all town, this is about the survival of all humanity perhaps. If this thing, whatever you want to call it : demon, plague, pestilence, goes out there and you can’t contain it, it can wipe out the all of humanity. Do you understand me?_

_Vincent looked dumb-struck and sceptical :_

_\- But… but, this is insane. How is it that helping him” asked the young man, showing Dan “ will help protect humanity? And I am just a researcher trying to finish his post-grad about deviant behaviour of apex predators, I am not a specialist in human biology or an enthomologist or… or…_

_Vladek took his shoulders :_

_\- Vincent, listen to me. You are the one who knows most about this... disease!_

_Dan frowned at the words :_

_\- How do you know all that anyway? You were a shaman, from the tundra, and now you are dead._

_Vladek answered sharply :_

_\- It doesn’t matter how I know. I am here to send you both back there with a clear understanding of what you have to do._

_Vincent turned towards the bright emptiness, then said softly :_

_\- Someone’s calling me…_

_Before any of the other men could ask him who, the young scientist disappeared. Vladek breathed a sigh of relief._

_\- One down, one to go._

_***************_

Petra took the shot of adrenaline she picked up from the supply room, and talking to Vincent :

\- Now, Vincent. I need you to wake up. Really wake up. Dan needs you. I need you. Please, please, make it work.” She added to no one in particular. She stuck the needle right in his chest and emptied the syringe straight into his heart. Then she prepared again the defibrillator, in case he didn’t respond to the injection. Surprisingly, it worked and Vincent woke up with a gasp and, then, a deep breath. He opened his eyes, looked around him, disoriented and when he saw Petra above him, he asked, in a hoarse voice :

\- Where am I?

\- You are at the hospital. Vincent, you had a heart attack...

\- Where is Dan?" The young man interrupted. "I was talking to Dan and... and a young Russian in a strange suit, like very old, and then... I..

Vincent looked around him, as if he expected to see someone else in his room. Petra shook her head :

\- You were dreaming, Vincent. Dan arrived at the hospital after you and he has been in the operating theatre ever since. Dr Adebimpe is trying to fix the damages Natalie inflicted on him...

Vincent let out an exclamation then interrupted Petra with urgency :

\- No, Petra! He can't do that. You have to tell him to stop.

The young man began to push himself up, then when he realised he couldn't move his legs :

\- I can't move my leg. Why can't I move my legs?!" He touched them, pounded on them but he couldn't feel anything. Petra took his hand to stop him hitting himself.

\- Vincent, I need your help. I know what Dan did to you and I am really sorry, but you must understand, Dan...

Vincent returned his attention towards Petra :

\- No, Petra. Listen to me. Dr Adebimpe must stop whatever he is doing. Come on! Help me in a wheelchair...

Petra tried to keep him lying but Vincent shook her grip and tried to reach the wheelchair by himself. When he realised he couldn't do it by himself, he turned again towards Petra, and talked with urgency :

\- Petra, listen to me. I am serious. This is not about me wanting to exact revenge for what Dan did to me. When I was unconscious a moment ago, we talked." At the dubious look on the young officer's face, he pushed his point : " I know it sounds crazy right now, but it's true. Dan told me Natalie infected him with the larvae." When Petra let out a surprised sound, Vincent realised he hasn't been dreaming.

\- So, it is true, then. I wasn't sure I hadn't been dreaming actually. Look, Dan needs to be rid of the larvae, otherwise they are going to nest into him and eat him inside out. I saw what happened to Dr Allerdyce, Petra, I was in her room when the wasps hatched from her body, and it wasn't pretty. I won't wish that to my worst enemy. Now, will you help me into the wheelchair. Please."

Petra pushed the wheelchair closer to the bed without another word and helped the young scientist into it. Then, they went together to interrupt a surgical intervention.


	4. Pain means life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent and Petra stopped the intervention on Dan, as the sheriff wake up in the most uncomfortable situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I wouldn't give up.

_Vladek turned to the former sheriff and told him: " Now, Dan. You have to go back too. You are needed._

_Dan looked at the young Russian, with doubt written all over his face :_

_\- Come now, Vladek. Be serious. How I am supposed to help anybody? I couldn't help Natalie. She attacked me, remember?! I couldn't even help myself! I will go back there and what? Go slowly mad, killing any and everyone who annoys me, or who I think threatens me? Or be slowly eaten from the inside out by wasps? I saw what happened to Dr Allerdyce, Vladek, and this is really not how I want to die!_

_Vladek shook his head during Dan's speech and when the older man fell silent, he answered :_

_\- I understand Dan, but remember what I told you at the station. You are the only one who can help Fortitude. You may be a demon right now, but you are first and foremost a warrior..._

_\- I am the fucking sheriff of the middle of nowhere!!!... And not even that, anymore!_

_Vladek came closer to the former sheriff and towering over him :_

_\- Now you listen to me carefully, sheriff Dan Anderssen. You helped people in the past, you tried to help Natalie although you were going mad, as you say. You are a warrior." The young shaman insisted, enunciating slowly the last four words._

_\- You are going to help the people of Fortitude if it kills you, do you hear?! You don't have a choice!_

_Dan stared at the younger man in silence for a long moment, his conflicting feelings reflecting on his face. Vladek held still, knowing the decision had to come from Dan. The older man knew he was going to put himself back in danger the moment he woke up. Which was the reason he had to make the decision willingly._

_After what felt like hours, Dan let out a deep sigh and nodded :_

_\- All right, then. If I have to die, I'd rather die helping people. Maybe I can redeem myself, even if a little._

_Vladek couldn't help his relief showing on his face, as he exclaimed :_

_\- Good man." He let his hand land heavily on Dan's shoulder. "Good man. Now that's agreed on, we have to work out the details. First and foremost, you have to get rid of the larvae..._

_Dan scoffed:_

_\- Oh yeah?! Easy-peasy, right?! I am just going to ask them politely to sod off?!_

_\- Be serious!" answered the shaman: " that's why you are going to need Vincent. And Petra. They are your army from now on."_

_Dan shook his head in a dubious gesture :_

_\- Be serious yourself, Vladek! My army?! I can't even know how to get back there!_

_Vladek grinned smugly :_

_\- Oh that? That's the easy part. But when you wake up, Dan, this is going to hurt. Excruciatingly._

_Dan watched his chest. The blood has started leaking again. He looked up at the younger man :_

_\- Great! So, how am I supposed to wake up?!_

_\- Like this!" And Vladek punched him in the chest._

_*****************_

Dan woke up with a roar of pain and shouted at the top of his lungs :

\- Stop hitting me in the chest!

Everyone in the operating theatre had frozen when the body of the sheriff tensed up and Dan began coughing. For the past half hour, his heart continuously stopped and restarted by itself. The operating team didn't know what to make of it and Dr Adebimpe was ready to intubate his patient when Petra and Vincent barrelled into the room, obviously without having stopped to sanitize themselves first. They were arguing with Dr Adebimpe, who was furious and threatening them with all kind of evil, all the while trying to keep his patient alive and understand what was happening to him. He didn't have time, on top of that, to deal with lunatics, who were trying to stop him from saving his patient.

\- You, pointing a finger at Vincent and Petra, you get out of my theatre right this instant. Before I call security.

Vincent opened his mouth to say something but Dr Adebimpe didn't have time to lose with demented people. So, instead of arguing with the young biologist, he turned to his anaesthetist :

\- And what the heck is wrong with you?! Our patient was supposed to be completely out! I can't operate on him like that!

His colleague defended himself : " I don't know. I gave him the high limit dose. he should be sleeping like the dead.

Dan chose this moment to groan and to try to heave himself on his elbows :

\- I WAS dead, dumb ass!" His movement made him cry in pain, so he lay back again on the operating table, but grasped the surgeon's hand, then spoke to him in a broken voice :

\- Listen to Dr Rattrey, please Doc. You can't patch me up just yet. You need to clean my abdomen from the larvae.

\- I already know that, Dan." Dr Adebimpe replied. " I cleaned your wound as best as I could. But you have a lot a damaged tissue. If I am to be honest with you, I don't understand how you are still alive.

Vincent jumped in his wheelchair, excited :

\- Of course!" He exclaimed, making everyone jump. "The parasite! The parasite is keeping you alive" He said triumphantly, watching Dan. " That's how we are going to help you. Well, part of it" He finished with a frown.

\- What do you mean?" Asked Petra. Nobody was interested in operating anybody anymore.

Vincent's frown deepened and he stayed silent a long time, like he was choosing his words carefully. Finally, he shook his hand and took a deep breath, then turned to Dan :

\- I don't know how we can remove all the larvae, Dan. But I have part of Dr Khatri on my computer , so we can check her research. I know already a lot but I was focused on how to infect Natalie, not how to cure the infection. In the meantime, the parasite won't let you die but you will be in excruciating pain. The process may have already begun.

\- What process?" Asked the surgeon. "What are you talking about?

Ignoring the question, Dan looked from Vincent to Petra, which seemed to understand his look. She leant toward Vincent and said to him in the softest tons :

\- Dan has all Dr Khatri's research at his place.

Surprised, Vincent jerked backwards in his chair. "Since when?!"

Dan groaned the answer :

\- Since the helicopter's accident.

Vincent turned back to him, a suspicious look on his face. " Did you have anything to do with that, by the way?

Dan shook his head, instantly regretting it :

\- Not my doing. Schenthal Pharmaceuticals didn't want any witness apparently!

Petra let out an exclamation :

\- That's it. I know who could help us!

Everyone turned their stare towards the young police woman. She cleared her throat, a little embarassed :

\- Michael! Michael might be able to help us."

She ignored the surprised exclamation from Vincent and the blank expression on Dr Adebimpe's face and concentrated on Dan, who looked very doubtful : " He went with Elsa Schenthal. He decided to get her to a clinic in Bergen, so she can die in peace there. From the last conversation we had, she was literally falling to pieces and he didn't know how long she had. But if she is still alive, maybe Michael can convince her to send us some equipment and a doctor. No offence, Doc." She finished in the direction of Dr Adebimpe. The surgeon replied :

\- None taken. If someone can help us out of this mess, I, for one, will welcome them in Fortitude with open arms. But a sharp eye."

Dan turned his head back towards Petra and talked through gritted teeth, the pain slowly coming back :

\- Ok. You could do that. But Michael won't be able to help us any time soon. So, what do you propose in the meantime? I can't stay like this and you know it. You weren't there when those... things... those wasps burst out of Dr Allerdyce. I won't go the same way, Petra." He grasped her hand with force: " You have to promise me. You won't leave me being eaten alive. Promise me!" He looked at Vincent for help. "Tell her, Vincent. Tell her how it ended for the poor doctor.

Vincent made a face :

\- I already told her, sheriff.

Dan looked back at Petra and strengthened his grip as he insisted :

\- Promise me, Petra.

Impressed by his determination, which spoke volume about the trauma of Dr Allerdyce's death, Petra nodded in agreement :

\- I promise you.

Dan relaxed instantly.

\- Good. Thank you." Turning his stare towards Vincent, he asked in a halting voice, his control gradually slipping :

\- Now Dr Rattrey. How am I going to be rid of the larvae?

Vincent looked at him with a worried face.

\- I don't honestly know, sheriff...

Dan winced at a shooting pain through his chest, and stuttered his next words :

\- Well, you'd better start now, because... Fuck! It hurts!" he yelled, when a sharper pain tear though his abdomen : "because I think they already began to make themselves at home!"

And with those words, Dan arched on the operating table, howling with pain.


End file.
